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BANG FOR THE BITE
Regular incandescent bulbs cost around $1.50, while a compact florescent light bulb can cost up to $14. So why the high ranking with the high cost? They last up to 10 times longer, and save you on your electric bill.
COCKTAIL FACT
Contrary to popular belief, Edison didn't invent the light bulb, but improved upon an idea that had been around for 50 years.
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home › tip library › CFL Bulbs
Want to make your AC more powerful without touching the knob? Stop heating your house with your light bulbs.
The Bite
Your regular light bulbs (which are most likely incandescent lights) are really little heaters - they convert just 10% of their electricity usage to light, while the rest is turned into heat. So - look for Compact Florescent Light bulbs (CFLs) instead of your regular bulbs, and start saving money and energy.The Benefits
- Save energy: CFLs are some of the most efficient lights available - they can replace incandescent bulbs that are roughly 3 to 4 times their wattage, saving up to 75% of your lighting energy.
- Save money: CFL technologies developed during the past 10 years can help us cut lighting costs 30% to 60% while enhancing lighting quality and reducing environmental impact. US households spend about 1/4 of their electricity budget on lighting - that's more than $37 billion annually.
- They work in your existing fixtures - no need to replace your current setup.
Personally Speaking
Basic light bulbs have always been one of those generic purchases for us - the things you just pick up, never thinking about brand or comparison shopping, simply buying what was cheapest. But once we realized that we would have to make fewer trips to the hardware store, we started looking for CFL lighting. Now each time a bulb goes, we're replacing with the better version.Wanna Try?
- Look for bulb styles that are 2700K to simulate incandescent bulbs, or 5000K or greater if you want to simulate daylight (warning- daylight is pretty bright...).
- Fresh 2 - Our favorite: not only do you get energy-efficient lighting, these bulbs remove odors in your home! $19.95 for 2.
- Lighting Superstore - for UK readers, a great resource with CFL options.
- Costco sells them in packs of 4 for $10.
Aug 02,2005
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Or, just light my house for less. At this point, I will take either. The cost of home-ownership seems huge to me, with all these initiation fees, setup fees, new this and new that.
So I almost clap my hands when an existing light bulb burns out, because I know that the compact florescent ones I got for JUST $2.50 each from Costco will last longer, burn cooler, and save me a few bucks in the long run. PLUS, someone told me when I was little that if you turn out the lights in the rooms, you save sea turtles. I was barely smart enough to ask for explanation, at which point this person (who shall remain momless, I mean nameless) told me that when they drill for coal to fuel the power plants which fuel the lights, they drill into sea turtle nesting habitat.
Although I have not been able to find evidence of this after about 20 different Google searches, I still believe. And that is why putting in the (now smaller sized!) CFLs makes me happy - for I know in my heart I am saving both money and sea turtles.
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Posted by: editor | August 02, 2005 at 08:45 AM